


Little Lions, Little Swans, Little Ravens

by mihrsuri



Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Babies, Big Sisters, Gen, Loving Parents, Multi, OT3, OT3 with kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:01:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24470236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mihrsuri/pseuds/mihrsuri
Summary: The Boleyn-Tudor-Cromwell children and their unconventional but loving family. [or my Tudors OT3 verse and The Kids]
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Thomas Cromwell/Henry VIII of England
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth has no memories of not knowing that she has two fathers. She simply always has, though to the world she calls him ‘uncle’ or His Grace, The Duke of Essex (that last, not very often and it always makes her laugh to see her papas face when she does) he has always simply been ‘Papa’ who has always taken her seriously, who taught her languages and loves her. She remembers there was tension, before her first brother was born (she remembers her mama being sad and her Papa Thomas as well) but she has always known she is loved. 

Thomas has no memories of a time without knowing his parents were in love. Historians will say, later, this is perhaps partly why he made a marriage for love and it is true but it also gave him the solid foundation to be the kind of King he wished to be. 

George, George once asked his father if he truly should be a Prince if…(he’s not sure what the ‘if’ is at the age he is when he asks the question, but he has simply heard that Henry must be disappointed that George does not take after him in looks) and Henry looks at his small son with love in every fibre of his being and says he could never ever be disappointed in him and he is a Prince, a wonderful Prince and Duke of York. 

(”Of course I could not help but love you, George - your face is a blending of two of the people I love most in the world and you are my child” is what Henry says to him, years later. There is no doubt in his voice)

William & Margaret nearly come to blows with one of their companions who insult the Duke of Essex. William, years later does come to blows with a companion who seeks to undermine Thomas Cromwell to his face, thinking that it would be a route to favour. Margaret, when she is Queen of Denmark, dismisses a courtier for a similar kind of insult. They love their fathers and their mother fiercely and loyally. 

Owen, who is always quiet and kind - even as a child simply accepts that his family is his family in all its eccentricities and always has. He once crawled into the Duke of Essex's lap as a small child during the Christmas festivities because, well, it is his father and he feels safe there. 

Edmund, Edmund who is taller than his mother before he is ten years old and who makes all three of his parents smile is the one who begins the trend of the three youngest children following after William Cecil in small toddling steps, which makes Cecil look at the three children in bewilderment. Edmund grows up always calling Thomas Cromwell Papa and hating that they must be formal in public. It does not come naturally to him, to hide his affections. 

Pippa, little Pippa who is the youngest has the same worries as George but keeps things far more to herself. Until King Henry finds her crying because two of the ladies sent to look after her have been cruel when no one is looking. “I love you so so much little Pippa. My little Princess” he says firmly.


	2. Chapter 2

It was nigh impossible not to love Margaret - even her detractors would have admitted that she was charming and certainly her heart was true and all encompassing. When Meg loved, she loved without barriers, just as much as when she hated.

She was also stubborn and wild and prone to tearing and muddying every gown she owned. With Meg you could only be sure you would find her outside or riding (when she was old enough) in every weather - she climbed trees, swam, jumped and refused to be left behind, especially by Liam and fought with toy swords as much as her brothers did.

(Mary suspected that Liam had taught her jousting, though she never confirms it).

Predictably (or perhaps not) she adores Pippa and Pippa adores her.

Meg loves dancing and is, when presented, every inch a princess (except for the mud on her gown that was missed and on one memorable occasion, the leaves still left in her hair and her habit, when older, of bluntly refusing suitors).

Their father only laughs and says she takes after her namesake aunt but much of the court sniggers that perhaps she should have been born a prince.

“She reminds me of you Mary” Katherine of Aragorn says to her daughter once. “You are both brave and steadfast and neither of you suffer foolish people easily.”

“Do you remember, my daughter when you were a very little girl and you pushed the French Dauphin” her mother says to her with a smile when little Meg shoves a boy who had been teasing her into the mud.


	3. Chapter 3

Henry, Henry meets his children in heaven first and somehow all his children are grown but Henry, Henry knows them and he knows that the Lord is kind in that. Isabella, his first child, the one he and Katherine had been so joyous over is tall and graceful - she has her mothers eyes and hair and his shape of face. Harry, the prince who had lived one heartbreaking month is red gold haired and blue eyed, while Edward and Francis are both true red heads and remind Henry of Liam and Edmund but with Katherine’s steadiness. Joanna is a sweet girl who looks so very like Mary it makes him smile. 

There is Fitzroy of course - the sweet young man that he had promised to be as a toddler and then his child with Anne who did not live - Hal is all him, he and his older namesake brother are so much alike. 

(”I took care of him the most at first, when he came to heaven - I and Bella looked after the others - I felt we should as we are the oldest” and it breaks Henry’s heart even as it gladdens it that his children have taken such care of each other). 

And then, then he meets them. He has heard stories of his Thomas’ little girls but here they are young women - Nora is fair haired but it is Thomas’ eyes that sparkle from her face and Grace, is all tumbled dark curls and sweetness that makes Henry think of Pippa. 

He tells them they must call him Henry, of course they must. 

“After all girls, he is your stepfather.”

Elizabeth Cromwell is a beautiful woman - dark honey coloured hair that falls past her waist, brown eyed and graceful but there is a delighted mischief in her eyes. They stare at each other for a moment before Elizabeth laughs. 

“Do you know, I am not a woman prone to sharing my love either but if I had to share him, I am glad it is was with you and her majesty. Thank you for loving him, truly.” 

Looking at this bright eyed lady Henry thought that, had she lived, perhaps he and Anne might have loved her as they loved Thomas.


End file.
